Topic: Assignments | ARK-E551301 - Urban Design Studio, Lecture, 12.1.2022-1.6.2022

During the spring, we will work first in teams (Workshops 1.-3.) and then individually (Urban Design).

The studio work is structured as a set of workshops that explore the systemic qualities and goals for the site, adaptability in design, and design criteria for a livable neighborhood.

After the workshops, we will work on independent designs that are based on the results of the workshops, but start to think/work already now on how you would see the future of our site.

The results of the studio will be articulated Urban Designs answering the question "How to design sustainable neighborhoods for today and at the same time with a long term focus." The designs will provide general conceptual plan of the site area and more detailed solutions in different scales – focusing on the scale of the neighborhood in its different dimensions (spatial and social dimensions), answering the challenge of future transformations through resilient solutions.

The Urban Design Assignment

Goals
Exploring solutions for a developing city and a resilient neighborhood within the framework of climate change challenges.
Creating tools and approaches that take into account systemic change in space and time.
Designing an urban structure that creates a cohesive resilient environment in its context.

Process

The development process of the Urban Design is paced with reviews and discussions, as well as weekly tutorings. For the weekly tutorings, produce sketches, drawings and ideas and upload them also in your Storyboards-folder. The review materials are described below.

16.03. / 1st Mid Review. Diagnosis. Concept. Site Plan. Roundtable.

Material for discussion focused on the concept of the design: what is the ’diagnosis’ of the future of the area – how could the area be developed for a sustainable and resilient future? The conceptual ideas have to be presented with site plans and diagrams – what type of spatial expression do ideas have? We will look at least 50 years in to the future, but you can consider other timeframes and durations also. Use and refer to material produced in the Workshops and literature and presentations from the Lecture series and its assignment materials.
13.04. / Seminar session. Peer-discussions. Material to be uploaded on the 08.04.
Material for discussion focused on narratives of change in our area, how will the site change so that your concepts and goals are reached? The narratives have to be told with site plans, diagrams, sections and views of our site. The material will be divided amongst the students, everyone will have two other works to get acquainted with and the seminar session will be organized as student-led discussions on the merits and problems of the work.
04.05. / 2nd Mid Review. Articulated Design in different scales.
All design work presented in draft form, with a narrative that explains the design. Material to be presented is free form but has to contain the Base-materials, as well as a set of Approach-materials that explain specific aspects of the design.
01.06. / Final Review / Assignment: Urban Design discussed. Roundtable.
Material to be presented as in 2nd Mid Review, but in final form.

Material to be produced consists of 'base' + 'approach' materials

Base
Site analysis as a basis for design.
Conceptual ideas visualized/presented with diagrams.
Package of drawings describing overall design: site plan and sections (1:2000).
Package of drawings describing specific interventions in detail: plan, sections (scale approx. 1:100 - 1:500), and perspective views describing the qualities of the urban structure

Approach
Material to be discussed with each student after our last Workshop. Material will be defined according to the way each student approaches the challenge, it can contain anything from literature research, to visual narratives of change, typological studies and detailed design-documentation.

Evaluation

The finished work will be evaluated according to the categories of Conceptual insight, Application of the conceptual ideas in designs, and the Representation of them in the material.

The studio is organized in partnership with the City of Helsinki - based on a contract between the City, and Aalto. The students will be asked also to sign the contract so as to allow the City to use the studio work in their internal work and communications (always crediting the authors of the work).

ARK-E551301 - Urban Design Studio, Lecture, 12.1.2022-1.6.2022

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